Railroad track-switch



NOVA. 1, 1932.

B. MmTlNl RAILROAD TRACK SWITCH Filed July 20,1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNEY Nov. 1, 1932. B. MARTINI RAILROAD TRACK SWITCH Filed July 20, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 f W INVENTOR.

Nov. l, 1932. 5 MARTIN; 1,885,366

RAILROAD TRACK SWITCH Filed July 20, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 l 24! Huw! Il i/r/s 15 755%@ Wam' 1N VEN TOR.

Patented Nov. l, 1932 e acari'-TSTA1ES BIAGIO MARTINI', oF PITTSBURGH, rENNsYLvANrA RAILROAD TRACK-SWITCH Aiipliation filed July 2o,

` This invention relates to railway y t-rackswitches. Y y

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide'a'trackfswitch which prevents derailments of railroad c arsor engines when thelatter are moved backward from avv branch line. onto the main line. A.nother object is to provide such a `switch whereby, regardlessof the position in which said switch is set, cars or engines moved backward from a branch track will always be led onto the main track, thus'obviating the need of a switch man leaving the train on such backward shiftingof cars or engines to properly set the switch. A further object is to provide a switch of this character which cannot be easily clogged up by ballast stones and whereby the latter will be automatically pushed out`of .the Yswitch during the operation thereof, Still another object of this invention is to provide arailroad track switch' which is very compact and self contained, which is wellf'adapted for rugged construction, and which can be easily operated' either manually orlby power means@ f v Additional features and advantages of this invention will appearin thefollowing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this application.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top planyiew of aso called left hand switch built in accordance With my invention, this figure alsoshowing one of many available constructions forthe man ual operation of the switch. v

Fig. 2 is asimilar view to Fig. 1, but showing the 4switch shifted into its other operative position. i. L

Fig. 3V isa top plan'view of the base plate of the switch.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectionalview through the base-plate of the switch, taken on line/14A, Fig. 3. f v

the switch.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, lpartly in section, along line 6 6, Fig. 5 ofsaid frame.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view ofthe `iframe ofv 19.31.v serial No. 551,822.

Fig. 7 is another side elevation of the frame. u

F ig; 8 is a side elevation of the manual op-V erating mechanism for the switch, in the position corresponding to Fig. 2. I v

YFig. 9 is a top plan view of the complete spiderof the switch. j

Fig. 10 a side elevationof the spiderblock.v y

Fig. 11 is a top plan block.

Fig. 12 is a bottom plan view of the spider block. i Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the tongue member yof the spider. 65

Fig. 14 Yis a side elevation view of aid spider of said tongue; member and l Y Fig. 15 is a bottom view thereof. Fig. 16 isa top' plan View of the spider` for the'so-called right hand switch. 1 70 F ig. 17 is a plan view showing switches of my inventionapplied toa portion of a rail-v roadtrack. l .y

The two switches requiredv for each branch vline are referred to as 'the right hand and the 75 left hand switchesaccording to theirposition relative to thedirectionv of approach from the main line toward the'point of ramification. Thus, in Fig. 17, .wherein the upper, single track, portion is assumed to be part of the` main` track, the switch nearest the operatingniechanismv is vcalled the left hand switch, and the other, thev right `hand switch. Each switch consists of the following main parts: aframel, an oscillatable spiderQ and l al switch-base 3. Y

The frame member'comprises a circular crown 4`provided with the four'symmetrically disposed feet `5 bymeansof which the crown is supported the. 'desired distance 90 above the base-plate and securedthereonrby means of boltsf6.' y 'i Secured to thecrown 4f are vthefsubstantially radially disposed lugs 7 and 8, vthe formerv serving for the securement tothe switch of the end of one of the main-track rails, whiley the latter Vacts as theclamping and spacing block for one main trackfrail and one branch-.- rail. Suitable clamping bolts VQareshown for fastening the rails to the switch.

Uli

A bracket is also secured to the top of the crown, as shown, said bracket serving as a support for the vertical shaft of one of the levers of the switch operating mechanism, as

willbe explained hereafter.

- surfaces to act as supports for the ends ot the oscillating spider. 'lfhe pad. 17 ismade considerablywider than the 18 to afford an ample support for. the. pointed end ot the spider. tongue.

' The spider-block. comprises ay massivebody portion 19 the top of which. islevel with the top' of thetraclcrails, and: in1 which. areprovided the converging. grooyes, 20I and 21. of sufficient depthand width tov accommodate the flanges, of the wheels of. the engines and cars. A'portion is cut away from the top of the` blocktoform alrecess22whirch. accommodates'the spider-tongue and whereby there. 1s pitoducedzin the block. an island 23..'1nwh1ch is. cut Athe prolongation ot the H ange-grloove 20. At thebase of bothfendsy of1 the'spfider-l blockfthereare provided the arcuatelilanges 24, 25, finished atthe top and` bottomy and adaptedtoslidably bearon basepads 17 18l and the loweredges 26H01? the. crown 4. Thepulrposeof these flangesyvisjto prevent. any tilting ci rocking. movement, of5 spider, especially iny lalongitudinal direction, when ellglgfLbythe engine or tlieciarI-wheels.

` The] spider-'tongue consists ofI a, rectarngu-` lar p'rismoid/al,v body portion. 27;. terminating vaithfawedge portion28, Theltopjof the splder .'.,is,o`f course, level withlthe spider-,block and Iha'scut therein .the flange-groovesy 20a, 21?L complementariesfof; the grooves 20,21., 0n tlieunderside'of thetongue therellis provided, on the bias, a. recess29 adaptedto befengaged the reduced portion produced yo n .the block by the recess22. The holes 30, adjacent both ends otthetongue.are.intendedforthestude bolts 13, and spacer rings 31, 32..areusedto hold .the tongue .in proper, spaced relation to theV spider-block. The body portion 27 of the tongueha's also aflange 25.a which forms the continuation ,of the 1Clange25..

As stated,the right and left hand-` trackswitches may be operated; simultaneously either manually orby means lof, power. .driven contrivances, of.` standard construction .l used in railroad work. Themanually operated mechanisms .shown in the drawingsconsists of 'an operating-,lever 33 hingedlymountedatJ 34,011: a vertical support.. securedon the. base 36 fastened by. screws ,37-t'0. two. .adjacent rail-ties 38., A To'the levcr33 fishingedlyconnected one end of the connecting-rod 39 the other end of which is hinged to a lever 40 secured at the top of a shaft 41 rotatably supported in the base 36 and a stirrup 42 secured on the underside of said base. Secured on shaft 41 and within the bight of this stirrup is a lever 43 to. which is hingedly connected the @Omwille-rod 44 hingedfat the` other @11d to the lever 475 secured at the lower end of the vertical shaft 46 rotatably mounted in thebracket 10 of the crown and in a suitable bearing 47 provided in the switch-base 3. Intermediate the latter and said bracket 10 is keyed, on the shaft 46 the bell-crank lever 48 to v'which are `hinged the two links 49, arranged in. overlapping, crossedl relation,` and hmge'dly connected tothe lugs 50 provided at one side 'of thespider-,block 1,1. p

The right andl left hand4 switches. are conn ected together for simultaneous. operation by. means'bf. a. @Qwest-narod: 5.17 Fis 17., hinged: to ythe vleyers 4,5 ,of bot-h track-switches. The ailigular, movement, ot thespider, inboth directions, is. limitedr by means. of stops1 5,2 proyided on` the inner face of; 'the crown. 4. Onthe top of thelatter. arealso'cut inproper relation totherailfheads. the grooves 53, 54 and. yto accommodate, the. wheel-flanges,

Tlie twooperatiye.positionsv for the spider ofy theleft hand; switch obtainedby thema.- nxpulation ot,theoperatinglever 33 .are shown inFigs, 1 andtZ,v

Referringin particular to Figs. 1, 2 andr17 in. whichv the track. wheels: 56 are` suggested in'v dot ands dash lines, the operationjof my Safety Swifsh, may. HOIW be succinctly described, it. being supposed, that/the rail; sets and, 58formlrespectively themain. andthe branch. track.. v

` Assuming forz instance that atrainkonthe upper section of the main track 57 (Fig, 17 must be` transferred to thebraneh track,.- 58, the left hand switch would .be Placed I inV the position showninlig 1, that, is, the..W heel flanges would engage the crownrslot 54, follow along the left hand'side of the spider-tongue 12, pass the crown-groove, 5,3andzthe wheels would finally travel onlthe tracks 58. Iton the other handthe train is to continue traveline' 011 themaia track. .57, theleft handpswitch would. be set as shownin Fig. 2in which case the wheel-flanges would` successively engage the crown-groove 54, the spider-groove 20, 20a, 2O and the crown-groove 55'before'the wheel would travelon t-helowerrsection of the main track.

Similarly., ifV a, trainV should have tobe moved from the branch track, 58,-ontothe upper` section coi-the main track 57, theY left hand switchvlshould againfbe, shifted into-.position shown in Fig. 1, as will be readily understood.` Howeyenifbyerror said switch should be vset as per Fig. 2, it willgbenoted that. the wheellangles wouldjengagez,successively thecrown-groove 53,1 tlieugroovesl,

tif)

21a, follow the left hand side of the so-called island 23 of the spider-block, enter the crowngroove 54, after which the track wheel would ride on the upper section of the main track. With the old type track-switches, such erroneous setting would cause a derailment, if not corrected in time.

If a train is to bek moved from the lower section of the main track onto the upper section, the left hand switch should be in the l position represented in Fig. 2. If instead it happens to be set as in Fig. l, the transfer will still be made safely, i. e. without derailment, because in this case the wlieel-iianges will engage consecutively the crown-groove 55, the wedge-shaped space 59 betweenthe spider-block and spider-tongue defined by the spacer-rings 31, 32, and the crown-groove 54 prior to the wheels engaging the rails V4of the upper section of the main track. In this case, the wheel flanges, overcoming the resistance of the springs 14, willtemporarily force the spider-tongue away from the spider-block, and allow the faces of the Wheels to ride over the top of the spiderbody. The recess 22 is wide enough to freely accommodate the spider-tongue and a wheel-flange.

It is of course understood that the same safety features apply to the right hand switch in which, as suggested in Fig. 17, the spiderblock and tongue are mounted in reversed relation to the left switch.

VBecznise the transferring of whole trains or individual cars from the branch track or the lower main track section on the upper section of said main track is always possible, regardless of the setting of the track-switches, no attendant need be employed to manipulate said switches and considerable time may be saved.

Referring to various figures of the drawings, it will be noted that the pointed end 60 cf the spider-tongue does not reach quite to the end of the spider-block; this is done to enable the faces of the track-wheels to come onto the top of the spider-block before engaging the relatively weaker tongue-point.

An important feature in the construction of my switch lies in placing the crown a substantial distance above the switch-base; to render said switch practically self-cleaning. It will be noted that stones, of the size used as ballast, falling between the spidermember and the crown will be gradually forced out of the switch by the oscillating movements of said spider member, through slot-openings defined by the lower edges 6l of the crown and the base-plate. Smaller stones will also be forced out, inthe same manner, through the narrower slots provided for the guidance of the spider-flanges 24, 25. Similar stones falling between `the switchpoints and the stationary rails of an ordinary switch, as now used generally in railroad work would preventthe'closing ofsaidswitch which the preferred form Onlyof my inven- 1- 'i In a railroad'track-switch' of the Char;

'acter described, la base; Yaicylindrical crown supportedthereon in spaced'parallel .relation; a spider-member ccmprising'a spider'- block` andv a separate spider-tongue'partly supported'lby the block; yielding means `to hold said tongue incooperative relation to said block; a pivot-pin positioned on the spider-block and rotatably supported on the base, and means f to oscillate: saidspidermember within the crown. f 2. In a railroad track-switch of the character described7 a horizontal base; a cylindrical crown supported thereon in spaced parallel relation; a spider-member comprisinga spider-block and a lseparate spider-tongue partly" supported bythe blockgyielding means to hold Vsaid tongue inl cooperative relation to said block; a pivot-pin positionedy on v the spider-block'and rotatably supported ony said'base; meanspositioned on the base for slida'bly supporting the'fends of said spiderblock and tongue; means to oscillate said spider-member within the crown, and means to limitl the oscillatory movements of the spider-member.

3. In a railroad track-switch of the character described, a horizontal base; a cylindrical crown supported thereon in spaced parallel relation; a spider-member comprising a spider-block and a separate spider-tongue having interengaging recesses whereat the tongue is partly supported by the block; yielding means to hold said tongue in cooperative relation to said block; a pivot-pin positioned on the spider-block and rotatably supported in said base; means to oscillate` acter described, a horizontal base; a cylindrihaving converging and co-aXially disposed grooves. engagable by the flanges of track- Wheels, andV adapted to be set in cooperative relation with said main track rails and the J5 branehfrail, and means to oscillate the spider-member. l 5.. Iny arailroad track-switch of the charaoter deseribedfa lease;Y a cylindrical Crown supported thereon; a spider-member oscillatably mounted Within the Crown fand comprising a spider-block and a separate spidertongue movably mounted on said. block; means to secure said tongue against longitudinali, movement; transversely effective :lg-5 means toyieldingly hold the tongue against said block in cooperative relation therewith, and means tooscillate said spider-member.

Y6. In a railroad` track-switch of the Charaeter deseribed,ral`1orizontal base; a` cylindri- Cal crown. supported` thereon; a spider-member osoillataloly mounted Within the Crown andvoomprising'a spider-block and a separate spider-tongue movably mounted on said block;l means tov secure said tongue onsaid block; againstlongitudinal movement; transversely effective meansto yieldingly hold the tongue against said block in cooperative relation therewith; means positioned on the base for slidably supporting` the ends oi said spider-block. and tongue; means to osoillate said spider-member and meansto limit the oscillatory movement thereof.

Iny testimony whereof I. aiix my signature.

BIAGIO MARTINI. 

